ERIC Number: EJ1401126
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1476-718X
EISSN: EISSN-1741-2927
Available Date: N/A
Early Childhood Leadership Well-Being: A Phenomenological Examination of Workplace Stress and Supports
Bosire, Jamlick Peter Ondieki; Gallagher, Kathleen Cranley; Garrett, Amanda Leigh; Babchuk, Wayne
Journal of Early Childhood Research, v21 n4 p412-425 2023
Early childhood center directors need to effectively function in their workplace so that they can provide leadership that supports quality. Their personal and professional well-being may affect how they support other educators. Few studies have investigated work-related well-being from directors' perspectives. This qualitative study investigated the directors' common experiences about well-being. Specifically, interpretative phenomenological design was used to explore the directors' work-related stress, work-related support, and well-being. Four early childhood center directors serving children from low socio-economic backgrounds in Mid-Western State were interviewed individually to understand how they understood work-related well-being, sources of work-related stress, and work-related support. Five themes emerged from the data: understanding of well-being (physical and mental health, salary, relationships, and self-care practice); sources of work-related stress (compassion fatigue, role, and learning); managing work-related stress (self-discipline, mindfulness); sources of support (leadership, staff, self-support, family, and friends); source of inspiration (opportunity and value). Implications include establishing formal support networks, and policy review and provision of resources to effectively support directors from burnout.
Descriptors: Early Childhood Education, Leadership, Well Being, Stress Variables, Administrators, Teacher Administrator Relationship, Social Support Groups, Low Income Students
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A